2009/06/30

They are really obviously influenced by the Who (A l'heure H) and Oasis and they knew the very few things you can take in french music to have a kind of french pop touch, a noble lineage. The LP is short and maybe still a bit young but for the second time in a single month I didn't say "Baaaaaaaa", listening a french production... When so young guys know than Sleepwalker is one of the good Kinks' LP of the Seventies, you can trust them, can't you?

August bank holiday will see the young Vespa and Lambretta riding Mods from all over the UK and beyond return to their spiritual home, Brighton, for an action packed weekend, forty plus years since the original modernists set foot on the East Sussex seaside resort back in 1964.

This years event coincides with the launch of brand new Mods book called ‘I’m One’ (21st Century Mods) by Horst R Fredriechs with sleeve notes from Who guitarist Pete Townshend and forward from Mod author Paolo Hewitt.

The exhibition with 15ft prints of some of the images featured in the book will be on display on the wall of Sea Life next to the daytime events venue, the Volks (opposite the pier) Sat and Sun afternoon.

A whole weekend of events are lined up by London Mod promoters the New Untouchables including four live bands over two days and a scooter competition followed by a ride out to Beachy Head not forgetting a market area selling vintage vinyl and modernist threads.

The weekend kicks of Friday night with a welcome party at Smugglers in Ship Street. Saturday and Sundays allnighters are hosted at Brighton’s best venue the Komedia with DJ's from a dozen Mod clubs round the UK + special guest DJ Spider Webb of the Horrors as well as local clubs Mojo to Go Go/Hush Club/Born Bad and Da Do Ron Ron are all represented.

2009/06/24

'I first met Terry Rawlings back in early 1979. Over 30 years ago! Jeez where did that time bleedin' go? We were both music obsessed teens, deep into the Mod Revival scene, who also just happened to love Punk. Especially the Clash and the Buzzcocks. I guess that was our connection. That, and the fact we both loved an occasional tipple! Terry then replaced me as the office boy at Decca Records and we were both up and running and went on to become life long buddies.

I made a living out of playing and talking about music whilst Terry wrote acclaimed books on the Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Ron Wood, Brian Jones and the Buzzcocks' Steve Diggle, as well as all things Mod. These forthcoming gigs, and the range of people offering their services, are testimony to how well loved Terry is by all of us.

They'll be celebrations and hopefully in the process will raise as much dosh as possible to help him and his family through this very difficult time... After all that's what you do for your muckers isn't it?'

I think it's a kind of promo for them! You know that I never send a link to official material but their record won't be available out of France, so... Strange trio, two pop listeners and a complete classical musician...

My friend Mike listened it and here's the comment:

This is really nice. Sorta nursery rhymes for the beat generation, I like the French voices singing in English, kinda sexy for the girls and heartwarming for the boys. Can tell from the arrangements that there's a real classical vibe going on. Yeah, sure will pop this on on a Sunday morning when summer sun is shining and the future looks bright. Thanks for sending over. Very nice.